Owl Pocket Pillow

Hello again my dear friends!! I know it’s been a while since I have posted here but I am back and I am very excited to bring you this adorable little project!! If you don’t know me, I am KarrieLyne Winters and I am owner/designer of Freckled Whimsy. I’d love it if you stopped by to say hello!

Are you ready to make oodles and oodles of these pocket owls??!! They are a bit addicting… so there you have your warning! Heehee!

Ok, on to fabrics… For my tutorial I used Sweet Serenade by Basic Grey. I would also encourage you to pilfer through your scraps and come up with some lovely combinations, such as maybe a quilt as you go version for the pocket. I think that’d be super cute!

Grab those fabrics and let’s make some owls!

1/2 yard cuts for the body
1 Fat quarter for the front pocket
1 Fat quarter for the back pocket
Scraps for the wings, eyes, and nose
Iron on adhesive that is paper backed, such as Heat’n Bond for face pieces
Your favorite craft stuffing

**Light to Medium weight fusible interfacing ( 3 yards) ** — This is optional. If you are making these for kids who will bury them in the sand box or use them for pillow fights, I suggest using this as a stabilizer to help support the cotton fabric. If you are only using them for decoration, you will not need the stabilizer. A good Medium weight is Pellon 93TD.

1. Print out the PDF that has the templates. Be sure not to reduce the size. Print at 100% and check your 1″ square against a ruler to ensure its truly 1″. If it is not, check your printer settings.

2. Pages 1-4 is the body of the owl. Cut out each piece and tape together making sure to match up outer edges. Don’t worry if inner lines don’t line up right on.

3. Using the 1/2 yard cut, keep wrong sides together and lay the body template on the fabric. Pin around the edges and using a rotary cutter or scissors, cut out the pattern. Unpin. You will have a front piece and a back piece. Set aside.

4. If you are using interfacing, repeat step 3. You will then need to trim 1/2″ away from the edge all the way around. If you don’t, your edges will not fray. Iron interfacing to the wrong side of the body pieces following the manufacturers instructions. Be sure to center the interfacing before ironing it down.

5. Next, cut out and tape the front pocket and back pocket pieces together.

6. For each pocket you will need a fat quarter. Take each fat quarter and fold it in half, wrong sides together and press. Lay the pocket templates on the fabric lining up the fold marks on the template with the fold on the fabric. Pin in place and cut around sides. Do NOT cut the fold and keep the pocket folded.

7. Repeat for interfacing if you are using it. Make sure you trim 1/2″ around this piece too, only don’t cut the fold. Center on the wrong side of the fabric of each pocket, iron down per manufactures instructions.

8. Cut out the wing template and cut from fabric. I used a different fabric for each wing. Feel free to do this or use the same fabric.

9. Take one owl body piece and lay the front pocket on top lining up the edges. Lay the wings down, also matching up the edges. They will match up, just move along the edge until it lines up. Pin all 3 pieces in place.

10. Sew 1/2″ around the edge of each wing going through all layers (wing, pocket, owl body).

11. Cut out face pieces. Trace both eye pieces, two of each, and beak on the paper side of the heat’n bond. Cut out each piece. Do NOT remove paper backing yet. Using the manufacturers instructions, iron the pieces to the fabrics you chose on the WRONG side. Let sit to cool. Cut around pieces to remove excess fabric. Remove paper backing.

12. Lay the beak on the front owl piece that has the pocket sewn on. If you want it centered, fold the body in half to create a guide. Unfold and center beak on this fold mark. Make sure not to put it too close to the top of the head. You need to leave room to sew the edges at a 1/2″ plus room for rounding edges after stuffing is put in. Use my photo as a general guide. Once you have it where you want it, press in place to activate the glue. Zig zag, or use another decorative stitch, around the edge of the beak.

13. Repeat for the “whites” of the eyes using steps in #12 and then for the “pupils” of the eyes. Experiment here before ironing down. Change the placement of the pupils for different emotions.

14. Take the back owl body piece and the back pocket. Line up the edges and pin in place along the top and center. Keep pins at least 1″ away from all outer edges.

15. Lay the back owl body WRONG side up, then lay the front owl body RIGHT side up and pin all layers together.

16. Starting at the left wing where the stitching begins, 1/2″ seam allowance, take a few stitches, backstitch, and continue sewing around the edge of the owl body keeping a 1/2″ seam allowance. Stop and backstitch when you get to the bottom of the opposite wing. This leaves the bottom open to allow for stuffing.

17. Remove all pins and stuff.

18. Following the same 1/2″ seam allowance, stitch the bottom closed, backstitching at the beginning and end.

19. Maneuver and squish the owl to distribute the stuffing to your liking.

20. Here comes the fun part. Making him scruffy! You can get this look multiple ways. Have your kids throw it around, sleep on it, hug it and squish it and call it George. It will get there. You can also use a bristle brush to coax the fibers apart. My favorite thing to use is a wire bristle cat brush. Cleaned of course. Those wires go to work like crazy and your owl will be scruffy in no time. Just don’t brush too hard if you use one of the wire brushes so you don’t create holes.

One super adorable owl!

Measures about 17″ high and about 13″ wide.

What are you waiting for??? Go make some owls!!

I would love to see the owls you make!! If you use Flickr, you can add the photo to my group HERE. Or just use the hashtag #FreckledWhimsy in any social media. You can also email them to me too!

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The individual designers featured on this website ultimately hold the copyright for their projects and designs posted on the Moda Bake Shop. Patterns are not intended for sale or digital distribution. All items made from Moda Bake Shop patterns are for personal, non-commercial use only, unless given explicit written permission from the design owner to sell finished products made from their pattern tutorials featured on the Moda Bake Shop.